FAA proposes fine of more than $1 million on United Airlines over preflight safety checks; company responds

The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a fine of more than $1.1 million on United Airlines, as per a CNBC report. The administration is imposing this fine on the airline for allegedly not performing the necessary fire system safety checks on its Boeing 777s. In its letter to United Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Scott Kirby, the FAA alleged that the company dropped a system warning check from a preflight checklist. The government body went on to add that the airline operated 102,488 Boeing 777 flights without ensuring they were in an airworthy condition from June 2018 to April 2021. “The inspection is required in the maintenance specifications manual. Removal of the check resulted in United’s failure to perform the required check and the operation of aircraft that did not meet airworthiness requirements,” the FAA said in a statement. United Airlines has responded to the FAA’s statement and claimed that the safety of their flights was never in question. According to the carrier, it had revised its preflight checklist in 2018 in order to account for the “redundant built-in checks” performed by the 777 automatically. It added that the policy was reviewed and approved by the FAA at that time. In its statement, United said that in 2021, the FAA had informed the company that its maintenance program “called for the pre-flight check by pilots. Once confirmed, United immediately updated its procedures.” The airline has stated that it is going to review the proposed penalty. As of the end of 2021, United Airlines comprised 96 Boeing 777s, accounting for nearly 11 percent of its total fleet, as per a securities filing. The American airline provides bookings, trips, information, reservations, and transportation for passengers, cargo, and mail across the globe. Along with United, some other airlines have also been fined by the FAA recently. For instance, the FAA had proposed a fine of over $134,475 in December last year against Vieques Air Link for conducting flights with unqualified pilots. FAA alleged that the Puerto Rico-based airline used pilots who had appropriate certificates, to fly 11 commuter flights, in multiple twin-engine Britten-Norman aircraft between July and August last year. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.